Life is Living on the Homestead Today.

Good Day Greetings dear Readers,  today is as it has been for the last several.......   rainy, damp, gray, cloudy and warm for this time of year.  The daffodils are in great bloom. Some bowing their heads from the rains others holding their heads high singing of soon coming spring. And still others are just putting forth their buds in anticipation. Of course these bulbs are of different variety and bloom at intervals, which I enjoy. The blooms are over too soon for one big splash.

Our maple trees are also budding red. I walked about some of the flower beds and there are different ones coming forth with great speed. Green and life abounding on the homestead. With all this, I can not help but wonder,  shall their be a killing frost before all is done? I am also always reminded of scripture,  This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it."  After all, we are to take only one day at a time.

I am looking for some new chickens for this year. Buff Orphingtons and Domineckers are on my list. I so enjoy these breeds and have not hade them in a very long time. My original hens of Aracana's are around 8 yrs old as is our rooster. I am not intending to sell them, but introduce the new ones in. I like all my chickens and even though some of the hens are so old that they may lay one egg a year,  the enjoyment they give me is worth keeping them.

A hawk flew down into our chicken pen last week and pinned down a hen. Charles happened to be around and scared the hawk off before it could take off with the hen, but yesterday I found her dead in the coop. She had no markings of injury on her, so I believe she died of delayed shock perhaps.  We had another rooster that several years that a raccoon was dragging him off by his leg. Again, we happen to be out and got the rooster, and although he was so very scared, he did not die, but his leg had nerve damage of some sort and he hopped along, so that is what we called him, 'Hop A Long'. He lived several years afterward.

I have been experimenting with the hens for the last few weeks concerning their egg laying.  A true, old timer of homesteading told me if I would not let the hens out early in the morning, but wait till about 11 am or so, I would get more eggs. I usually let them out first thing in the a m and some days do not get any eggs, some days one or two. I realize the shorter or longer days play a part in the egg production as well as age of the hens. Some of the hens I did get last fall from a neighbor and they are only 2 yrs old. With a total of 14 hens I was not seeing good results for eggs. So for the last week and a half I have kept the hens ups till 11 am  with food in the coop. I have gotten from 3-7 eggs the last several days. Perhaps I shall continue this as I keep seeing good results.

Here is a picture of our chicken pen area. Ms Scare A Way did not do a good job the day the hawk swooped down, but she is a joy to see each day when I go out. Soon it will be time to change her clothing for spring.  I placed a wooden ladder with cedar limbs around it, the hens love getting underneath it. Several will gather in there and look as if they are visiting one another, only missing is a tray with a pot of tea. ")   I also have stumps in various places for them to stand on. This they enjoy too In the back ground we have ducks for eggs only. I love baking with them. Our cages hold our meat rabbits we raise.

I hope your day is delightful in many ways. I hope as you endeavor to pursue a homestead, you will experience all the wonderful blessing it affords. In the days and times we are living, this way of life is one that should be treasured and sought for in a great way.  We are thankful and blessed.

In Joy